Strawberry Recipes for the Spring and Summer Season (2024)

FAQs

What is the best season to eat strawberries? ›

Because of that, and the varied locations where they are grown, the national strawberry season is said to run January through November. In the Deep South, when to harvest strawberries will usually be late April and May. In the middle part of the country, at Eckert's, May and June are typically best.

Their growing season varies on region and climate, but most strawberries are in season during the early spring and early summer months.

Chop up all your cleaned berries, throw them in a bowl and mix them up with some sugar. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours. The sugar and natural acidic juices from the strawberries mix and macerate/marinate the berries in sweetness.

Strawberries flower and fruit in cool to warm temps (60-80 F. or 16-27 C.), so spring planting of strawberries in hot summer climates is doomed to fail. Strawberries may be hard to come by in late summer, as nurseries do not usually carry them at that time.

For most of the country, June is prime time for strawberries. You might also see them in the fall at some farmers' markets, thanks to ever-bearing varieties that can produce until nearly the first frost. If you do, consider yourself lucky.

Where is the best place to store strawberries? Unless you plan to use the strawberries right away, it's best to store them in your refrigerator to preserve freshness. Unrefrigerated, berries will last only a few days; stored in the fridge, they could last up to a week.

Rinse with vinegar solution: Soak strawberries in a vinegar solution (one-part white vinegar and three parts water) for a few minutes. Then drain them, pat them dry, and place them on a clean paper towel in a glass container. Loosely place the lid on and store in the refrigerator.

They can be frozen whole, sliced, mashed, pureed, unsweetened or in sugar. Strawberries frozen without sugar will keep, but may lose some of their flavor, texture, and color. However, unsweetened packs are desirable for sugar-free diets and for making jams later.

Add a little sugar and salt! Wash your strawberries, cut them, and hit them with a pinch of salt and a couple good three-finger pinches of granulated sugar, give them a little tossy-toss, and watch them magically start to darken and get extra juicy.

Another quick and easy option to rid strawberries of pesticides and bacteria is washing them with salt. This method will also draw out any fruit fly larvae, or tiny white worms, that may be hiding inside the berries.

What is the secret to sweet strawberries? ›

Strawberries can fruit surprisingly well with some shade – but the flavour won't develop to the same extent as those grown in the sun. Sun it is that develops sugar levels in the berries – so make sure your plants get lots, and lots of it.

Strawberries come in hundreds of varieties ranging in color, size, sweetness and growing season. Editor's Note: Food writer Casey Barber says May is the sweetest time to savor strawberries. Stay tuned for her June recipe selection, and for all the months that follow.

“Findings from a clinical trial suggest eating strawberries may help reduce blood sugar levels and inflammation, especially when consumed within two hours of a meal.” So, consider reaching for strawberries between lunch and dinner.

Strawberry Plants Come in Four Types

Despite their name, you can choose from early-, mid-, and late-season varieties that fruit anytime from early to late summer. Everbearing strawberries (also called perpetual or all-season strawberries) produce steadily throughout the summer and even into autumn.

You should harvest strawberries from mid-spring to autumn (October-April) depending on the climatic region. It's not hard to know when to harvest strawberries because the fruits will have darkened in colour and look plump and juicy. Try to harvest as soon as they are ripe as this is when they taste their best.